Among Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities, Bruges is small, historic, and gorgeous. Having been built around the same time, Bruges looks a lot like a smaller and much calmer Amsterdam. If you’ve only got time for one I’d choose Amsterdam, but hopefully you’ve got time for both.
For better or worse, Bruges feels a bit like an open-air museum, but it’s definitely worth a visit if you’ve got two days or so. Though there aren’t as many canals as in Amsterdam, there are still plenty of places that will take your breath away as you frame a photo for your collection.
The main square in Bruges (spelled Brugge in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) was made famous in the move ‘In Bruges,’ but it’s still wonderful even if you’ve never seen it.
| Population | 120,000 |
| Area | 120,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+1 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Airports | Brussels Airport (BRU) |
Bruges has no huge checklist attractions so it’s really about enjoying the stunning architecture and wandering around the historic city center.
There are a few breweries in Bruges, allowing you to experience perhaps Europe’s best beer-drinking and making culture.
A canal boat ride is definitely worth the hour and it’s a great way to get oriented when you first arrive.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 29.03 - 64.52 |
| 43.01 - 108.60 |
| 53.76 - 131.18 |
| 88.17 - 166.67 |
| 268.82 - 268.82 |
Hans Memling Hotel Doubles from €76/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Bruges |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 19.35 - 30.65 |
St. Christopher’s Inn – Bauhaus Hostels Beds from €24/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central hostel in Bruges |
Food and drinks are also of typical prices for the region, and again, walking a couple blocks away from the main squares will save money if your budget is tight.
| Budget breakfast | Breakfast often comes included at hotels and hostels. If not you can find a neighborhood cafe. | $5.11 - $8.60 |
| Budget lunch | There are not many fast-food or casual dining options in the tourist district. | $6.45 - $9.68 |
| Budget dinner | Restaurants along the main squares and roads offer ambiance for a price. | $10.22 - $18.28 |
| Beer (pint) | Local lagers can be good value, but the other Belgian beer options are easy to find too. | $3.76 - $6.45 |
The free (tips-based) walking tours of Bruges are highly recommended and an ideal way to learn your way around town. This is a very pedestrian-friendly city so you can see almost all of the main sights on a leisurely walking tour of two hours or so.
The canal boats are the other tour of Bruges that everyone should try to do as well.
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39 | 35 | 1.5 |
| February | 39 | 34 | 1.1 |
| March | 45 | 38 | 0.8 |
| April | 51 | 44 | 1.0 |
| May | 58 | 49 | 1.0 |
| June | 63 | 54 | 1.3 |
| July | 66 | 58 | 1.5 |
| August | 68 | 59 | 1.5 |
| September | 64 | 55 | 1.5 |
| October | 58 | 51 | 1.5 |
| November | 48 | 43 | 1.8 |
| December | 45 | 41 | 1.5 |
Being so near the coast helps keep temperatures in Bruges mild all year long, although that also brings gray skies and damp through much of the year. Summers are usually nice, though often cloudy for days in a row. Winters are mild, with snow and freezing temperatures being somewhat rare.
| 21 Mar | 6:48am | 7:02pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:31am | 10:06pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:31am | 7:48pm |
| 21 Dec | 8:49am | 4:41pm |
Bruges isn’t as expensive as one might think, considering it’s so often jammed with visitors. Prices in general are typical of this part of Europe, and things become more affordable if you go at least a few blocks away from the main squares in the city center, especially with hotels and hostels.
Hotels in Bruges tend to be most crowded in summer, and particularly during July and August. It’s definitely wise to book ahead if you are coming during high season, as the better places do fill up early. Bargains can be found at the fancier places from November through March, though prices at Bruges hostels and cheap hotels don’t change much through the year.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| 29.03 - 64.52 |
| 43.01 - 108.60 |
| 53.76 - 131.18 |
| 88.17 - 166.67 |
| 268.82 - 268.82 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 19.35 - 30.65 |
There are no major international airports in or near Bruges, so nearly everyone arrives by train. The train from Brussels takes about an hour each way and they leave once or twice each hour during the day.
Bruges is a wonderful walking city and as long as you are staying in the compact historical center you can get around on foot.
Taxis are available to get to and from the train station if you’ve got more luggage than you can carry.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from Brussels airport to Bruges | 198.92 - 247.31 |
| Train from BRU airport to Bruges | 10.75 - 22.58 |
| Train from Brussels to Bruges | 10.32 - 20.65 |
| 3km taxi ride in Bruges | 8.60 - 15.05 |
| Bus ride in Bruges | 1.40 - 2.15 |